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48 Star US Navy Jack Made at Mare Island, California, Dated 1944

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About the Item

48 STAR U.S. NAVY JACK, MADE AT MARE ISLAND, CALIFORNIA, HEADQUARTERS OF THE PACIFIC FLEET, DURING WWII, DATED 1944 United States Navy jack with 48 stars, made during WWII (U.S. involvement 1941-45) at Mare Island, California, Headquarters of the Pacific Fleet. A black stamp or stencil along the binding, on the reverse, reads as follows: "Union Jack No. 9 MI 44." Heavily flown, with all of the hallmarks of legitimate, wartime use, the extensive yet endearing wear includes not only loss of the hem along the fly, with associated fraying, but the loss of the entire column of stars that followed, as well as remnants of grey paint from the hull or deck of the craft. Like the British Royal Navy, American vessels flew three flags. When at anchor or moored, the jack is flown at the bow (front), the national flag or "ensign" is flown at the stern (back), and the commission pennant is flown from the main mast. When under way, the Jack is furled and the ensign may be kept in place or shifted to a gaff if the ship is so equipped. The American Navy jack is a blue flag with a field of white stars. The design is the mirror image of the canton of an American national flag. In scale, the jack was meant to be the same size as the canton of the corresponding Stars Stripes ensign with which it was flown. While the technical name for this type of flag is a "union jack," the confusing verbiage, being the same as the nickname of the most recognizable British flag, has resulted in a common shortening of the term to simply "the jack". Interestingly enough, the British ‘Union Jack’ is not the proper name for that signal either. The national design commonly referred to by that name is actually the "Union Flag," though practically no one uses that title or is even familiar with the term. The only time that it can be properly called the "Union Jack" is when the flag is, in fact, flown as the jack on a British Navy ship, from whence name derived. British ships fly various national flags: the white ensign (Royal Navy), blue ensign (non-navy ships in public service), and Red Ensign (merchant ships), each of which is composed of a solid field of the corresponding color, with the ‘Union Flag’ design in the upper, hoist end corner to serve as a canton. The use of the Union Flag as the jack on Royal Navy ships thus employs the same logic as using the blue field with stars (without the red and white striped field) as the American jack. While U.S. involvement in the Second World War (1941-45) necessitated the acquisition of flags from many sources, the Navy had long made their own flags at several locations, of which Mare Island was one. Located on the western edge of the City of Vallejo, about 23 miles northeast of San Francisco, and actually not an island, but a peninsula, this important base of operations served as the principal seat of U.S. Navy defense on the Pacific. The site was selected following an expedition that set forth in 1850, when Commodore John Drake Sloat was ordered to lead a survey party in quest of a logical site for the Navy’s first West Coast installation. Sloat recommended the location, situated across the Napa River from the Vallejo settlement, noting the strategic advantages of its being "free from ocean gales and from floods and freshets." On November 6th of that year, one year following the Gold Rush and just two months after California gained statehood, President Fillmore reserved Mare Island for government use. The U.S. Navy Department acted favorably on Commodore Sloat's recommendations, and Mare Island was purchased in July, 1852, for the sum of $83,410 for use as a naval shipyard. Two years later, on September 16th, 1854, it became the first permanent Navy base on the Pacific Ocean, with Commodore David G. Farragut serving as its first commander. Mare Island became home to what was known as the Pacific Fleet and remained so until the threat of Japanese expansionism caused the shift to a more advanced position at Pearl Harbor. It was very active in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, but close in 1993 after Congress approved the findings of the “Base Realignment and Closure Report.” The body of the flag is made of wool bunting. The top and bottom edges are hemmed with machine stitching. There is a heavy, sailcloth canvas binding along the hoist, with 2 brass grommets. The general manner in which the flag is made, with heavy, high grade fabrics and uncommonly stout construction, is indicative of U.S. Navy flags of the WWI-WWII era. The triangular patches of wool at the top and bottom of the hoist are called gussets. These are original to the flag's construction and were added for reinforcement at the points where it was subject to the most wear. The stars are block-printed or stenciled in white paint, thickly applied. This is a known technique in use in the manufacture of U.S. naval ensigns at the time and can be seen on other Mare Island flags. Although the specific history of this flag has sadly been lost to time, the fact that it displays proper evidence of having been flown for an extended period is unusual among surviving examples. Most flags of this nature, brought home by sailors, were ships stores and never saw wartime service. Endearing wear from legitimate use, especially during wartime, is a characteristic appreciated by many in the world of flag collecting. The 48 star flag became official in 1912 following the addition of New Mexico and Arizona. 48 remained the official star count throughout WWI (U.S. involvement 1917-18), WWII, and the Korean War (1950-53), until Alaska gained statehood in 1959 and the 49th star was added. Mounting: For 25 years we have maintained a specialized department for this purpose. Our lead conservator holds a master's degree in textile conservation from one of the nation’s top university programs. We take great care in the mounting and preservation of flags and related textiles and have preserved thousands of examples. The background is 100% hemp fabric, ivory in color. The mount was placed in a dark brown, cove-shaped molding with a wood grain surface and reddish highlights, to which a black-painted, hand-gilded and distressed Italian molding was added as a cap. A shadowbox was created to accommodate the ties, which have a three-dimensional fold. The glazing is U.V. protective acrylic (Plexiglas). Feel free to contact us for more details. Condition: There is significant loss at the fly end, including an entire column of 6 stars, as described above. There are losses that reach into one star in what is presently the last column, and there is cracking of the paint with associated paint loss elsewhere in the stars. There is modest to moderate soiling along the binding, accompanied by paint transfer from the ship. Many of my clients prefer early flags to show their age and history of use, especially when the presentation translates this well and is pleasing to the eye. Frame Size (H x L): Approx. 33.5" x 43" Flag Size (H x L): 22.25" x 31.5"

Dimensions:
Height: 43 in (109.22 cm)Width: 33.5 in (85.09 cm)Depth: 2.5 in (6.35 cm)
Materials and Techniques:
Wool
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
1940-1949
Date of Manufacture:
1944
Condition:
See Item Description.
Seller Location:
York County, PA
Reference Number:
Seller: 48j-10651stDibs: LU849743316102

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